BCG jab enhances immunity among old, could help with Covid19: ICMR

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), the 1921 anti-tuberculosis vaccine, could have potential utility in Covid-19 management as it enhances immunity among the elderly, a new research has found.

The study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) followed 86 healthy elderly individuals aged 60 to 80 years at one month post-BCG vaccination and found that the jab enhanced all kinds of antibodies in the target group.

“Our research concludes that the BCG vaccination was associated with enhanced innate and adaptive memory cell subsets as well as total antibody levels in elderly individuals, suggesting its potential utility in Covid-19 infection by enhancing immunity,” the ICMR said.

The BCG is a live attenuated vaccine strain of Mycobacterium bovis that provides protection against mycobacterial infections like tuberculosis and leprosy and was first introduced in 1921. It is known to protect against other infections too.

Several epidemiological studies have shown a reduction in childhood mortality, mainly by providing protection against neonatal sepsis and respiratory infections.

Studies on BCG’s efficacy in Covid-19 management are underway in many countries, including the UK, and a section of researchers do not rule out BCG vaccination shots among Indians as a contributing factor to overall lower national Covid mortality in India.